Process of mineralizing- hair



' and the attacks of vermin UNETED STATES PTENT @FEQE.

ALBERT O. TROSTEL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

PROCESS OEMIN'ERALIZING HAIR, WOOL, AND-OTHER ANIMAL FIBER, AND THE PRODUCT SO PRODUCED.

No Drawing.

uct made therefrom, and comprises the method of imparting or increasingwoolly characteristics in varlous animal hairs, notablybovine hair and cull wool, wherein the hair or wool is rendered more soft, pliable,

shrinkable, capable of spinning, weaving, or felting, by treating such hair with a weak alkaline solution in the cold for a period of time, removing adhering alkaline products with acid or the like, washing and slowly drying at a moderate temperature to retain the softness imparted by the preceding treatments, and is thereafter rendered stable and permanent against light, heat, decay, by incorporating a mineral thereinto, the so-prepared material being either before or after mineralization spun, woven, or felted, as the case may be, to produce yarn, thread, or fabric.

Animal fibers and particularly those that are used for textile purposes must be capable of being spun, woven, and felted. I have discovered that the ability ofa fiber to do this is dependent to a very large degree upon its shrinkability under'the influence of heat and this in turn is more largely dependent upon its porosity than upon mere surface condition. Co ercial hairs of different animals are divided into the wool class, which in the natural state can be spun, woven, and felted, and the non-wool class with which-none of these things can be done. Instances of the latter class are cattle hair, horse hair, human hair, etc. There are various intermediate hairy products, such as cull wools, rabbit hair, some goat hair, etc.

Many of these animal hairs such as cow hair, which cannot alone be used for textile purposes, are commercially available in large quantities. All of these products, however, including wool, can be much improved by being rendered more porous and heat resisting so. that the felting, spinning, and

county of Milwaukee, State of fiber structure,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 25, 1921. Application filed December 1, 1919. Serial No. 341,695.

weaving can be made much more permanent because they can be subjected to a very much higher degree of heat without scorching or injury to the fiber, resulting in a very firm product. In fact I can make a material substantially like broadcloth out of cull wool by mere felting and heating alone, without any intermediate stage of spinning or weav- I will now describe my process with particular reference to its application to hair or wool. If it is to be applied towool I first degrease the wool by any of the well known methods, avoiding however, the use of high temperature. then subjected to a cold, dilute, alkaline solution for a period of time so as to remove a substantial portionof the nitrogen and sulfur content-as well as some of the oleaginous portions remaining without substantially affecting the texture. The product is then washed in cold water and the soap and alkali products that are formed are removed by a weak solution of acid, enough bein used to insure thorough removal so that the bath still remains slightly acid,the product is again washed in coldwater and dried very slowly at a moderate temperature. 7

This latter step may at my option be omitted providing I am ready to mineralize the product in a manner hereinafter defined.

its consequent deleterious effects'and to avoid injuring the fiber proper by use ofstron alkalis. The resultant product is not altere in its exterior physical appearance and under the microscope it does 'not appear corroded or etched if the treatment is properly conducted. The alkali bath seems to make the hair porous by dissolving out certain intercellular matter without injuring the true and also to saponify more or less the natural oils present.

All processes hitherto used looking to the improvement of the felting, weaving, and spinning qualities of animalhair havebeen found by me to be deficient in that reagents used are too drastic or heat is used or generated by the chemicals, with the result The wool or hair isthat the product is not as contractable as it are produced by drying except at a very moderate temperature. This is important for the reasons stated. The other processes also fail in getting a proper result because they do not remove the products resulting from the treatment with alkali, e. 9., soaps, calcium carbonate, (CaCO sodium carbonate, Na CO etc. These must be absolutely removed and that Without injury to the hair or wool or they will leave a coarse, harsh, rough, comparatively unyielding fiber, and they greatly impair its shrinkability as they form in part within the intercellular spaces and in part on the surface and their removal is absolutely essential to a sufiicient porosity as Well as to a proper surface.

I next subject the product to what I calla mineralization; an impregnation with various mineral and other bodies capable of being taken up and retained by this substance; being retained by it with sufficient tenacity to resist removal by moisture, water, etc. By this mineralization its power of resisting heat is increased to a great degree and I am enabled to cause it to felt or shrink to an extent hitherto unknown, notwithstanding temperatures hitherto unprecedented than natural hair or wool.

without carbonizing or injuring the fiber. It is also by this mineralization rendered more Wearproof, weatherproof, sunproof, moistureproof, and much less attractive to moths, etc. It also resists scorching by hot iron, etc., standing a much higher temperature I am thus enabled to produce a new product which will serve many useful purposes in various arts especially where the material must be fairly refractory or capable of withstanding a relatively high temperature without carbonizing or other impairment. The product that thus make is unique in that while it possesses a high refractory coefficient, it is soft, pliable, v

and if made of hair or wool, retains the wool-like characteristics and can be spun, woven, felted, and knitted, etc. to even a greater degree than the natural product.

he ready mineralization of this material to the desired extent and producing the desired results is rendered possible by the opening up effect on the fiber produced by the preceding treatments. Chromium compounds are very good agents for the present purposes. Unlike the untreated hair, which does not respond to mineralization, the treated material readily takesup chromium compounds. I

The prepared hair or wool is transferred ably have a strength of not less than one per cent. nor more than six per cent. of chromic oxid (Cr O The basicity of the solution is preferably such as would be equivalent to a chromium salt in which one valency of chromium is combined with one hydroxyl radical for example, C'r(SO on or oro1, oH etc. This strength of solution and this degree of basicity I find give best results and are, according to my present knowledge the most advantageous strength and basicity. However, solutions stronger than six per cent. or weaker than one per cent., or solutions of greater or less basicity than stated herein will also render the hair or wool more heat resistant. Imay further vary the strength of the solution without varying the basicity thereof or vice versa, or I may vary both strength and basicity independently and can still improve the halr or wool as regards heat resistance. The chrome solution may either be pre ared before immersing the hair therein as have just stated, or it may be prepared in situ in .the fiber. It is important that the hair or WOOl be in intimate contact with the solution at all times as the efiicacy of the solution depends ordinarily upon the completeness of contact and the length of time the hair or wool is maintained in the solution. I preferably leave it in the solution for a period of one to two weeks. This period may be materially shortened by mechanically agitating the hair or wool in the solution or circulating the solution therethrough.

Instead of the chromium compounds above stated, I may use other mineralizing agents, such as the corresponding aluminum and iron compounds. After the treatment with the mineralizing agent, for some purposes the fiber may be further treated with a tanning agent, such as quebracho, oak, etc.

The hair, thus mineralized and made permanent and stable against heat, decay, vermin, etc., retains, after mineralization the texture given it by the first alkalizing treatment to a very marked degree. It is still soft and pliable and it may be readily worked up into fabrics, either felted, woven, or knitted in any usual manner. Whether fabricated or in its loose condition, it possesses the property of withstanding heat to aremarkable degree. For example, I have subjected both loose hair and felt made and mineralized in the manner indicated to a temperature'upward of 450 F. submerged in cylinder oil without its showing any carbonization or impairment in any respect. I submerged the material in cylinder oil so as to have a definite vehicle which would insure the heat .reaching every part of the material by reason of the convection currents therein, and one which would enable me to control and determine accurately the temperatures used. In this Way I obtained a thorough heating throughout the material and was able to control my temperatures and did not get a merely surface heating. Similar tests applied to unmineralized hair and felt showed remarkably difi'erent results as the material was to a great degree carbon- Sistini ized, and was rendered very brittle and entirely unusable at much lower temperatures.

As a result of having the hair thus rendered heat resisting I am enabled to felt it completely by shrinking it tightly in place by applying to it a degree of heat which will result in causing it to lose by shrinkage the increased porosity given to it by the preliminary treatment and result in a firm, compact fabric such as yarn, felt, or cloth.

I have been unable to find a word which exactly describes the phy ical and chemical characteristics of my ne product, particularly its increased power of resistance to heat, and I therefore call it a semi-refrac- .to material, 2'. e. a material that has been rendered capable of withstanding temperatures submerged in cylinder oil up to 450 F. for a substantial period without suffering carbonization. While I have particularly described my present product as applied to true hair, it is equally applicable to wool, both low grade and high grade wool, and results in an improved product in either case.

The woolly and non-woolly hairs intergrade from the very fine wool at one end to coarse hair and pig bristles at the other; they are all truly keratoid substance and I have used the word hair in these specifications and claims as including not only what 'is commonly called hair, but such parts thereof as are commonlycalled wool.

Some of the mineralizing materials 1n the present invention are substances which are also useful for tanning purposes; but in the present operation, whatever true tanning there may be is incidental; there is superimposed upon the tanning effect, if present, the more important, for the present purposes, eflect of making the material heatresistant and resistant against attack of various kinds. I

Untreated hairy materials, that is, hairy materials in their original state, are not susceptible of being tanned; they are not changed in character to any/material extent by the ordinary agents-used for tanning purposes, and do not, as a matter of fact, adsorb or take up very much of any tanning agent. They are not changed in character, rendered imputrescible, etc. thereby. On the other hand, the altered hairymaterial produced by the action of cold alkali in the manner described is a pervious and adsorbent material, freely permeated by liquid reagents, and it will take up and hold large proportions of mineralizing agents. In taking up these mineralizing agents, it undergoes important changes in its physical characteristics and partlcularly in its reaction toward heat and its power of reheat without damage. Hair altered b al piisure to moderate degrees of heat shrinks ali in the manner'described, on ex-&

and becomes dense and takes on a set; properties which render it important in various arts. By impregnating the altered hair with chrome, etc., the degree of heat to which the material can be exposed is much increased; thereby making it possible to obtain, by the action of heat, greater degrees of shrinking, setting, etc. By impregnating the altered hair with chrome, etc., the power of resisting the destructive action of high heat is also much increased.

The property of shrinking, becoming {denser and taking a permanent set under the influence of heat is valuable in the utilization of the present material. It may be utilized after the thread or yarn is formed or,.alternatively, subsequent to the assemblage of the thread or yarn into a Woven or knitted .fabric. Either way of operatin has its advantages. Where the treated bers are converted into yarn or thread prior to shrinking, the fibers are bent with regard to each other but the bend is. resisted by the natural resiliency of the fiber. On now heating the thread or yarn, the springiness is relieved and the bend or curl is made permanent. This gives a very strong permanent yarn or thread; the fibers being, so to speak, corrugated in sitw. If prior to the heat treatment the thread or yarn is woven into a fabric, the bends or loops formed in manufacturing are made permanent in 3712711 A in the same way, that is by the described set on heat-treating the fabric; all internal stresses tending to resist the bend being relieved in the heating.

-By fabric in the accompanying claims I mean to include felted, woven or' knitted material of clothlike nature; and I also mean to include yarn and thread adapted for subsequent weaving and knitting.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. The process of rendering animal fiber shrinkable bythe action of heat while resisting the destructive action of such heat, which comprises making the animal fiber porous by chemical reagents, removing the reagents and any byproducts formed thereby, and mineralizing the so-prepared fiber by treatment with solutions adapted to deliver relatively large amounts of mineral matter to such fiber.

2. The process of rendering hairy material shrinkable by the action of heat while resisting the destructive action of such heat, which comprises making the hairy material porous by chemical reagents, removing the reagents and any byproducts formed thereby, and minerallzing the so-prepared hairy material by a treatment with solutions adapted to deliver relatively large amounts of mineral matter to such hairy material.

ing fabrics from animal hair which comlot prises rendering the hair porous and adsorbent by chemical reagents adapted to produce a limited attack thereon, treating the so-prepared hair with a bath containing dissolved mineralizing agents adapted to be taken up by the treated hair and fabricating a fabric therefrom.

4. The process of producing heat resisting fabrics from animal hair which comprises rendering the hair porous and adsorbent by chemical reagents adapted to produce a lim-' ited attack thereon treating the so-prepared hair with a bath containing dissolved mineralizing agents adapted to be taken up by the treated hair, fabricating a fabric therefrom, and shrinking the mineralized fibers in situ in the fabric by means of heat.

5. The process of producing heat resisting fabrics from animal hair which comprises treatin the fiber with a weak alkaline solution, whereby it is rendered porous and adsorbent, removing the alkali andoany resulting byproducts, and thereafter subjecting the treated fiber to the action of a bath containing mineral bodies capable of being taken up by the substance of such hair.

6. The process of rendering a keratoid fiber semi-refractory which consists in first rendering such a fiber porous and adsorbent by a chemical treatment thereof and then treating the porous adsorbent fiber with a solution of a salt of a refractory oxid.

7. A new article of manufacture comprising easily feltable mineralized hair, the said hair containing considerable proportions of mineral bodies distributed therethrough, being substantially resistant to the destructive action of high temperatures, having substantially the smoothness and surface characteristics of the original unaltered hair and being feltable by the action of moderate degrees of heat.

8. A new article of manufacture comprising easily feltable mineralized hair, the said halr containing considerable proportions of mineral bodies distributed therethrough, being substantially resistant to the destructive action of high temperatures, having substantially the smoothness and surface characteristics of the original unaltered hair, and

. being feltable by'the action of moderate degrees of heat, said article of manufacture be- 111g; capable of withstandin for a sustained per od without destruction, eat at or above 450 Fahrenheit when submerged in cylinder oil.

9. As a new article of manufacture, a fabric comprising hairy animal material containing mineral materials distributed throughout the fibers; said fabric being so mineralized as to withstand the destructive action of heat at relatively high temperatures and being so shrunk by heat as to resist further shrinking by water or by heat or by both at temperatures up to 212 Fahrenheit.

10. The process of enhancing the textile qualities of hair and the like and producing fibers resistant to heat, which comprises exposing a hairy material to the action of a weak alkaline'bath of such a strength and for such a time as will result in a substantial lessening in weight of the hairy material without a substantial shrinking in apparent volume, whereby such a material acquires a substantial degree of porosity, removing the alkali and impregnating with a mineralizing agent.

11. As a new textile material, altered hairy material having a surface gloss, smoothness and other characteristics of unaltered original material and having substantially the same apparent volume, but distinguished therefrom by possessing a porous texture, by the property of shrinking and becoming dense under the influence of heat, by containing substantial amounts of added mineral matter and by resisting temperatures which would scorch the original material, said textile material possessing the characteristics of hair material exposed to a prolonged cold treatment with weak alkaline solution followed by a removal of alkali, impregnation with mineralizing matters and drying at a low temperature.

12. As a new article ofmanufacture a fabric composed of normally smooth and glossy unscorched animal hairs in twisted engagement, such hairs being set in their engagement by the action of heat and having resilient resistance against disengagement, said hairs containing materials making them more resistant against scorching than norma1,hair.

ALBERT O. TROSTEL. Witnesses:

STELLA MATHE, ALBERT G. MANNS. 

